Lover's Lies
by juliefan64
Summary: Clarisse begins acting weird and Joseph senses something is wrong. R
1. Trouble is Afoot

**Lover's Lies**

**Chapter 1: Trouble is Afoot**

It was about one o'clock in the morning when Clarisse Romero decided to take a drive. Only, no one knew where she was going, and no one could know who she was going to.

Clarisse Romero had been married for about five years and the first two years of being married to Joseph were amazing. They made love nearly every night, and Joseph couldn't keep his hands off his wife, but it wasn't long into the third year, which was when Clarisse was pregnant with the twins, when Joseph seemed to lose interest.

For about a year and a half, Clarisse had been sneaking out of the palace early in the morning. She was married to the former Head of Security so, of course, she knew where all the cameras were and she learned to avoid them.

Clarisse returned to the palace around three o' clock in the morning, sneaked downstairs to give herself a stern talking to,

"Clarisse Marie! How could you do such a thing? Well, Joseph hasn't been paying me the attention I need. Still, you are supposed to talk to him about it. Not go off and do this, it just isn't right. What if he finds out? No, he won't. He can't. At least, I hope not…"

Clarisse got a glass of water, gulped it down, and went upstairs to sneak back into bed with her husband, feeling guiltier than ever before.

The next morning, Clarisse got up and walked to the bathroom and slipped on her rings. Joseph walked up behind her and wrapped his strong arms around her and what she didn't know was that Joseph saw her put her rings back on her finger. He didn't want to say anything for fear of ruining the sweet moment, so he just got in the shower instead.

While Joseph was in the shower, Clarisse got dressed and put on her makeup. Joseph got out of the shower in nothing but a towel and saw Clarisse and became aroused instantly. He came up to his gorgeous, sexy wife and began to kiss and bite her neck, he knew it drover her wild.

"Joseph, please, not now. I'm not in the mood."

Clarisse unwrapped herself from his arms and walked out the door.

"Who pissed in her cheerios?"

Joseph said to himself, walking to his closet.


	2. Tangled Web of Lies

**Lover's Lies**

**Chapter 2: Tangled Web of Lies**

Later that day, Joseph was in the kitchen when Clarisse came down the stairs.

"Just the woman I wanna see."

"What for darling?"

Clarisse asked innocently.

"What was that this morning upstairs?"

"I don't have any clue what you are talking about, love."

"Remember, this morning, I was holding you and you just turned away. You don't ever do that, darling. Are you feeling okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine darling. Why would you ask such a thing, love?"

"I am just making sure you aren't sick or something. Darling, is something the matter? You haven't been acting yourself lately. It seems that sometimes you don't want me to even look at you, let alone touch you. Am I doing something wrong, darling?"

"Joseph, sweetheart, you aren't doing anything wrong. I'm perfectly fine darling."

Clarisse said, knowing she was lying through her teeth. Clarisse walked over to the table and sat down, Joseph just eyeing her as she walked.

"Why are you staring at me that way, darling?"

Clarisse asked, genuinely wondering what he was thinking…Did he know.

"Clarisse,"

Joseph started far away, then got very close to Clarisse's face and finished his sentence.

"there is something wrong, something going on, with you and I will find out one way or another."

Joseph slammed his fist down on the table and walked out of the kitchen, leaving Clarisse terrified at the kitchen table. She didn't know what had gotten into Joseph.

"Um, ma'am, I hope I'm not interrupting anything, but the ambassador is on the phone. He would like a word with you."

Charlotte came in, holding her cell phone. After giving it to Clarisse, Charlotte sat down at the table, waiting for the Queen's response to the terrible news.

"The paper said WHAT?"

Clarisse screamed, and Charlotte squirmed, uncomfortable with the situation.

"Charlotte! Get in her please."

After Charlotte came into the sitting room, she sat down by the Queen and the two sat there in complete, dead silence until Charlotte chose to speak.

"Ma'am, I didn't mean to cause such chaos. The ambassador just needed a word with you; I didn't know what it was…"

"Charlotte, you are a terrible liar. I know you knew what the Ambassador wanted to speak with me about. He says the front page of the paper claims that I, Her Majesty the Queen, is having an affair on Joseph. Who would have the decency to say that the Queen, Her Majesty would be cheating on her husband?"

Clarisse was scalding mad! She couldn't believe that the papers could say such things, but she knew, all along, that they were right. Should she tell Charlotte? She's kept all of her other personal secrets, but is this just too personal to risk Charlotte letting it slip? But could she really keep this big of a secret away from her best friend? Charlotte was there for her when there was no one around. And so was Joseph. How could she be doing this to him? He had been showing her a little more attention lately. Maybe she should just call it quits now. Maybe it was time.

Then, just as Clarisse was talking herself into telling him, Joseph came down the stairs with a rambunctious shout.

"How the hell could this happen? Clarisse I want to talk to you!"

Joseph yelled, while Charlotte quickly and quietly exited the room.

"Clarisse Marie Renaldi Romero! How could this be happening? Have you really been cheating on me? Surely these papers aren't true. Tell me the truth Clarisse. Are they or are they not?"

Joseph asked his wife for the truth while all she could do was set there in silence with one solid tear rolling down her face; Joseph turned away, knowing the truth.


	3. The Truth Be Told

**Lover's Lies**

**Chapter 3: The Truth be Told**

Later that night, Joseph and Clarisse sat in their bedroom in complete silence. One could feel the tension in the air. Joseph wanted to ask, but he just didn't. Why, he didn't know. But he just sat there and stared at his wife in complete silence, making her feel even more uncomfortable.

"Joseph, please say something. Anything. Yell at me. I don't care!"

Clarisse said with tear filled eyes.

"What do you expect me to say, Clarisse? You've been cheating on me. Why? That's what I want to say. Why did you do this?"

"Joseph, we've went over this before. I did it because of the attention I was getting. I wasn't getting any from you, and it made me feel sexy again."

Joseph was more than disappointed in Clarisse. She knew he was going through some hard times, and he didn't understand how she could run off and do this to him. Why couldn't she tell him how she felt? He would have definitely showed her more attention.

"Clarisse, why didn't you talk to me about this? I would have definitely shown you more attention if I knew that was what you were seeking. I love you, sweetheart. Forever no matter what you do, but you should have talked to me about this. Now we have to figure out a way to fix this in the public's eyes."

Joseph had no idea how he was supposed to do this, but he needed to make Clarisse feel safe and protected, even if she wasn't. Which at this moment, no she wasn't safe and protected. She had no reason to be scared of the public, but Joseph also had a deep dark secret he had been hiding. Yes, at this time, Clarisse should be more scared of her husband than any fan of hers.

Clarisse could see the hurt in her husband's eyes so she naturally got up and put her arm around him.

"Darling, can you ever forgive me? I feel terrible about what I did, but I can't change it. I just hope you can forgive me. Joseph, I still love you. We were meant to be together."

"Clarisse, I love you. Yes, I forgive you, but I just don't know if the public will."

Joseph said, as he exited the room, hastily. Clarisse got up to follow him, and overheard a conversation he was having with somebody on the phone.

"Hey Nina…I need a huge favor. Can you meet me at the hotel in Pyrus tonight? Yeah eleven is fine. Yeah bring the black car. It's not as easily noticed. Oh, don't let anybody know about this. The public will already be in a huge fuss over Clarisse's mess up, we don't need this getting out too. Thanks, I'll see you soon!"

Clarisse's heart sunk. What was he meeting with a girl named Nina for? Was he trying to get Clarisse back for what she had done to him? Was he cheating on her, just like she cheated on him? Could he do that? Did he have the heart to do that? He was up to something, and Clarisse was going to find out. She went downstairs to find Charlotte. Clarisse walked into her office and saw the Prime Minister.

"Prime Minister Motaz! I didn't expect to see you here! What's the occasion?"

Clarisse asked, sitting down in a chair on the other side of her desk.

"Well Clarisse, I don't know if you have seen the papers or not, but you have quite a scandal going on. Some people believe you've been having an affair. I don't know if that is correct, or if it's a rumor only, but it needs to be quieted down. I am not going to tell you how to go about living your life, but Clarisse, for your sake, I hope it is only a rumor. You do know, that Parliament will find out, if it is true. I just wanted you to know that we all know what's going on. Sorry to bust in on you like that."

Clarisse didn't say much, for fear she would let it loose that it wasn't only a rumor. She didn't know what to do, it seemed that everybody was against her no matter what she did. Joseph and his mysterious phone calls, Parliament possibly finding out about the affair she had been having….What was she supposed to do now? There was only one person she could turn to.

She walked upstairs to her granddaughter's room. She knocked on the door once, twice, three times to no answer.

"Ugh! Where is Amelia when I need her?"

Clarisse went back to her bedroom and did the only thing she knew to do…laid on her bed and cried until she fell asleep.


	4. Eagle Scam

**Lover's Lies**

**Chapter 4: Eagle Scam**

That next morning, Clarisse woke up to find Joseph already downstairs. He was sitting at the kitchen table with coffee cup in hand, while reading over some papers that he quickly put away when he saw Clarisse come down the stairs.

"Good morning, love. How did you sleep?"

Joseph asked, kissing his wife loving on the lips as she walked over to the stove to begin making her morning cup of tea. Clarisse got the water boiling and then sat down beside Joseph. She gave him a kiss and asked him what he was looking at earlier.

"Darling, I don't know what you are talking about."

"The papers that you had laid out on the table, what were they?"

Clarisse wasn't giving up on this because she thought he was for sure hiding something from her. Husbands didn't hide things from their wives…and vice versa.

"Darling, it was nothing. Honestly."

"Joseph, you're hiding something from me and you are telling me one way or the other. Husbands don't hide things from their wives."

"Kind of like wives don't hide the affairs they had from their husbands."

Joseph said, matter of factly.

"Joseph, that is different and you know it."

"How in the world is that different, Clarisse? You cheated on me and you never even thought to let me in on this secret! I had to learn about it from the papers!"

"Joseph, please. Don't throw that back in my face. I just wanted to know what those papers were."

"Clarisse, I said they weren't anything important. Don't you trust my word?"

Joseph asked Clarisse, who now got up to get the water and tea bag. She slowly put a tea bag into her cup and poured the water on top of it. She turned toward her husband and he saw the look in her eyes. He saw the tears about to come, he saw how blue they were, meaning the tears were at the surface and the ocean was about to make a tidal wave. He got up out of his chair and walked over to her and put his arms around her and hugged her tight.

"Clarisse, I'm sorry for being so secretive, but this is something that will help the both of us. You have to believe me when I say I want to tell you more, but I can't. I could be in jeopardy telling you this much. But please know that I love you no matter what you do, nothing will ever change that, darling."

He felt the tears fall down on his hand and he pulled her face up to look into her eyes, which the look in them almost broke his heart. He saw how horrified and frightened she was. What could make her so scared, he wondered?

"Joseph, I love you too, and yes, I believe you when you tell me this could jeopardize everything, although I don't know what everything is, but I trust you, darling. I know that you are going to keep me safe."

And with that and one last kiss, Joseph went off into his office, by the security room. He got back on the phone and made an important phone call to the secret woman again, Nina.

"Nina?...Yeah this is Joe….Yeah did you get it? Great…meet me at the same hotel at 11:00 p.m. sharp! Don't forget the stuff! Thanks, see ya soon."

With that, Joseph hung up the phone, went upstairs and started to get ready. He'd have to lie to Clarisse again, about the secret meetings, but if he could get all this stuff worked out, it'd be worth it in the end.

At 11:00 a dark van pulled up. Nina got out, handed Joseph the brown bag, he opened it and kissed her on the cheek. He said thank you and got back into the black car he drove up in and left. He left, yes, but he didn't go back to the palace. He drove around the block and parked under the bridge downtown in Pyrus and called Shades and told him that plan Eagle Scam was now to be put into action.


	5. Scam of the Decade

**Lover's Lies**

Disclamer: I own nothing! It's all Disney!

**Chapter 5: Scam of the Decade**

Back at the Palace, Clarisse was asking around wanting to know of Joseph's whereabouts.

"Charlotte? Have you seen Joseph anywhere?"

Clarisse asked, very worried about her husband. Then, before Charlotte could answer her, the queen's cell phone rang.

"Hello…? Yes, this is Clarisse. Oh! Hello…hang on, let me get back to my chambers so we can talk…"

Clarisse said to the person on the other end of the line, while walking back into her suite and getting back into bed. 

"Ok, now I can talk, love. Yes, everything is fine. Why do you ask yeah…those damned papers are going to ruin everything. Joseph has suspicions, but I don't think he knows for sure what's been going on. Oh, I just got a text message. I will have to call you back at a later time. Alright, darling. See you soon. "

Clarisse hung up the phone and read the message. It was from Joseph and tears began to fall when she read what he had sent her. She closed the phone and instantly knew that he knew exactly what she was doing. But how did he find out? She went to go open the door and then all hell broke loose.

"You mean to tell me what the papers are saying and what Prime Minister Motaz is saying is TRUE? Clarisse, how could you do this to me…to us? Do you not love me anymore? Am I not pleasing you enough? What is it, please tell me, I would love to hear your reasoning behind this one!"

Joseph was pacing back and forth while Clarisse just sat on the bed, her legs pulled up to her chest and her head buried in her hands. She couldn't believe she had let this go on this far. She never meant for it to get this out of control, she just wanted more attention, but turns out she got more than she bargained for.

"Joseph, how could you spy on me? I only wanted more attention from you. I never meant for it to get this much out of control! I only wanted to make you see that if you didn't show me more affection, there were other men out there that would. I'm so sorry that I let this get out of hand. But why were you spying on me?"

Clarisse asked. Her blood was beginning to boil as well at the thought of Joseph spying on her.

"I wasn't spying on you, love. I was simply getting things ready for our Anniversary dinner party, tomorrow night. Don't you remember, our anniversary is tomorrow, or is that something that also seemed to slip from your brain? Speaking of brain, what was going through yours when you were doing all of this? Did you think I wouldn't find out, Clarisse? Because I read the papers, I ALWAYS find things out! And when it comes to you, I would give my life for you to keep yours! I would kill any bastard that tried to hurt you…You know that! Please just tell me this, do you still love me, Clarisse?"

Joseph got up from the end of the bed that he had been sitting for the past speech he gave to his wife and finally looked at her while tears rolled down both, her face and his, while his wife said the words that would change their lives forever.

"Joseph…I honestly don't know."

With those five words, Joseph turned around and walked out the door, leaving Clarisse running after him and stopping in the hallway, watching him walk out on her and their marriage, leaving her feeling ultimately humiliated.


	6. Someone Like You

**Lover's Lies**

All characters belong to Disney! I only own the idea.

**Chapter 6: Someone Like You **

After Joseph walked out on everything, Clarisse went back into her bedroom and made a phone call to a particular someone. She sat on her bed and talked for at least two hours.

"Oh good! You answered….Well, what's right? Joseph found out about what's been happening between us and just walked out….I don't know… I really hope he does come back. I don't know what to do! Now? You want me to meet you NOW? I'll see if I can sneak out. Alright, love. I will see you soon. Talk to you later…."

Before she hung up the phone, Clarisse stopped at the call of her name. It was coming from the other end of the line.

"Yes?...Oh."

'Should I say that back? I'm a married woman…would the words be true?' Clarisse thought before she said the fateful words that would throw a whirling dervish out of whirl.

"Yes, I love you, as well, dear. See you soon."

Clarisse hung up the phone, wiped a few tears that had slipped down her cheek and got ready to meet the man who had messed up her entire last few years of married life.

He was so much like Joseph, though. He was tall, stocky, wide shoulders; little to no hair on his head, which Clarisse found highly attractive. He was also kind, very generous, and extremely trustworthy. She had known him since Joseph and begun working at the palace. He even danced and Joseph and Clarisse's wedding. He was a part of the family in a way…well, sort of.

Clarisse took one final look at her reflection in the mirror and she realized how much she had changed in only a few short years. Her waist had gotten a little thinner, most likely due to the stress of married life, her hair had grayed a little more, again, due to loss of time to keep the color up on it, her face looked more tired, she had a few more wrinkles around the eyes. Her crow's feet were awfully noticeable now, not so much before the wedding, and especially lately because of all this affair nonsense. She also noticed how Joseph had changed as well. He didn't seem like the same man she fell in love with and married just a small time ago. He was more overbearing, more powerful, and a tad forceful now days. What had happened to that loving, kind hearted Joseph Clarisse loved?

She walked out to the hallway of her suite and downstairs to the kitchen and out the back door. She took the town car, nobody ever used it, and therefore, nobody would miss it. She called him and asked him where to meet and he told her to go park the car under the bride in Pyrus and wait for him there. So she did what she was told, but was more surprised than ever to find Joseph sitting under the bride, but with whom? He had a female sitting beside him. Married Joseph had another woman under the bridge where he and Clarisse first made love. Clarisse remembered that night vividly.

_"Hello, love." _

_Joseph whispered softly, holding her by the waist, gently massaging her hips. _

_ "How are you, Joseph?" _

_ "Fine now that you're with me. Clarisse, you don't know how stunning you look, tonight. I love you, darling. More than anything." _

_Clarisse had no time to respond because she could feel his lips crashing down on hers and within an instant, she was giving into his wonderful maneuvers and she deepend the kiss. Before they knew it, they were both topless. _

_ "Oh!" _

_Joseph exclaimed when he realized Clarisse decided to go bra-less that night. _

_ "You like, darling?" _

_ "More like love." _

_Joseph said as he began to kiss every inch of her feminine body. He loved how she smelled of honeysuckle. She knew that was one of his favorite scents of hers. The next thing Clarisse knew, she was on the ground staring up at the bridge as Joseph began to taunt and tease her. She moaned and he knew where to go then._

The honk of a car horn brought Clarisse back to reality and when she turned around, she saw the man who talked to her on the phone earlier staring into her car window. She rolled it down, and began to kiss him. The honk of the horn made Joseph turn around and see the man who he thought he would never see again standing by a car, making out with someone through the window. He got up, walked over to the car and knew right off who the driver was.

"CLARISSE MARIE RENALDI ROMERO! How dare you cheat on me with my own BROTHER?"


End file.
